Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Four arrested in pot plant robbery

An armed robbery of a man's medicinal marijuana garden led to four arrests on Tuesday, according to Sgt. Mario Sulay of the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office.

At 10 a.m., Lane Ryan Goodale, 49, led three Watsonville area juveniles to the victim's house on Dick Phelps Road, according to Sulay. The victim confronted the four men in his backyard and one of them pointed a gun at the victim, Sulay said. The other men involved were reported to be holding baseball bats. One of the juveniles threw the bat at the victim before they fled in their Nissan Maxima.

A deputy responded to the call and witnessed the car pull onto Green Valley Road. With the assistance of California Highway Patrol and Watsonville police, the car was pulled over. Officers found freshly cut marijuana plants in the trunk, along with beanies, ski masks, a handgun and other weapons. Goodale was taken to County Jail for conspiracy to commit robbery with a firearm and contributing to the delinquency of minors, according to Sulay. The minors were booked into Juvenile Hall.